Going to go check out a '71 on Friday, might make the guy an offer judging by how it looks. Can you guys tell me if this looks like a good deal and what I should be looking for when inspecting it? I am not very well versed when it comes to C3's. TIA

My initial thought is that it is priced a bit high...

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For Sale : 1971 Chevrolet Corvette. Small Block, Automatic, Air Conditioning, Power Steering, Power Brakes, Power Windows, T-Tops, Am/Fm Cassette. This Car was fully Disassembled, Stripped and Primed. The car is ready for the final body work and Paint. A great body mans car. Car runs good.$8500.00

A reply to one of my emails:
The car was stripped to the bare fiberglass. There was no body work done on the car. the car will need some minor body filling to get the car straight, they all do. I don't see fiberglass work needed. the birdcage looks good and the chassis is not rotted.
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I think the biggest things are look for the birdcage rust and where the frame kicks up before the rear wheels. If that's rust free then check out the body mounts. The price seems high to me it better run like a top for that money. Good looking car from the pics though.

seems a little high to me. But the chromies do bring money. I agree that the steering wheel is not stock and the interior looks a little rough. Lot's of ??? 's here.

But with that said, if you are looking for a C3 (good man BTW ) it could be a good start. Check the frame good and look for any rust at the door pillars and windshield. Just because he says the Bird cage and frame is good, doesn't mean it is.

One other thing to think about, and I am a huge proponent to restoring these car, is that you will probably be able to buy a frame off rebuilt one for what you will have in this by the time you get done!

All Righty Then

Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something, and ask yourself two questions:

1. Have you felt and known joy in your life
2. Have you given joy to someone else ....

How was the paint stripped? You could have chemical issues with future paint if done wrong?

That said, it needs a lot of $$$$ invested. If the frame and birdcage are actually solid, I wouldn't go anything over $6000. Interior looks rough, who knows on the suspension?, who knows what's under the primer?, body should have been sealed and body work done prior to primer (they may be covering something up?), are the door hinges solid?, door gaps even? do the window mechanisms work properly? How "good" does it run?

As said, check the #2,#3,#4 body mounts on each side, check the windshield frame, check the frame where it kicks up in the back as well as the frame gussets in front of the rear wheels.

This thing could be a money pit. Calculate what it will be worth when completed and work back from that number with the cost of all your repairs. You may be better off continuing your search.

1. Frame rust - in front of the kickup in front of the rear tires as well as radiator support. Get under there and poke around.
2. Birdcage - with the doors open, tap firmly on the windshield frame. Look for rust falling out the bottom of the frame.
3. Is it numbers matching? Seems like that used to mean a lot more, but now a days the cool customs and restomods are fetching as much or more than the top flight restorations.

If the frame and 'cage look good and the suspension doesn't need an immediate overhaul I'd say it would be work a good $6000, but it depends on your intent.

What do you want out of this car? Full on restoration? Streetrod? Weekend cruiser?

Optimists think the glass is half full.
Pessimists think the glass is half empty.
Engineers realize it's twice as big as it needs to be.

I would be willing to bet the motor is either not original or at least parts of it are not..... (ie. the EGR intake manifold that didn't come out for some years after 71)....

I am not sure if $8500 is high or not...I paid less then that for mine with #s matching(same options as yours), and a decent paint job, but the interior and suspension was wasted so.... Either way they are money pits so just be prepared to dump your retirement into it....its cool, we all do it...

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